Arado Ar 240

After the development of the FA 13 remote-guided weapons position, Arado developed the Ar 240
to make use of it. The first two prototypes were quite instabil, so the third one was modified
with a 1,25m lengthened fuselage. The pressure cabin was more in the front, and the dive brakes were
positioned at the rear end. This prototype flew first in spring, 1941 and had the FA 13 for the first time.
The fourth prototype got 1.750PS DB 603 engines. After completion of some pre-serial planes
(used by the Luftwaffe), a contract over 40 serial planes were made, but in december, 1942,
this project was cancelled due to technical problems (handling characteristics).
The C-serie was mostly planned as a fast nightfighter and high-altitude fighter reconnaissance plane,
56km/h faster and with greater length and new wings.
The later Ar 440 had a 90cm longer fuselage with a completely new cockpit and was completed in summer 1942.
Its prototype had two 1.900PS DB603 (the serial planes were planned with the never-built 2.000PS DB 627A/B).
The Ar 440 was cancelled in 1943.
Only few planes went into experimental service within Luftwaffe squadrons, which proved their worth
in recon missions over russia and south england or tested the periscope system with cameras instead of MG´s.
I remember to have read that these planes operated over southern england when no other was able to survive
the fighter defense, even not the rival Me 410. Of course, in 1944 the Ar 234 was the only recon plane over there.

My comment:
The idea of a high-speed multi-purpose aircraft for reconnaissance, precision strike (dive attack),
night interception, recon plane hunting (over Biskaya), torpedo attacks, ... is quite interesting.
It would have been fast enough to do this all without fighter escort, although its 7,92mm MG weren´t
really powerful (of course, as a fighter, it would have get some 2 or 3cm cannons firing forward and upwards
and the Ar 240C got more powerful MG131 (2x2)).
Survivability by superior speed was its great advantage, reducing the problems multi-purpose planes usually have.
The main design problem was the instability (like the similar Me 210, too), but with the Me 410,
these problems were solved with lenghtened fuselage, and just the same was made with this model,
that´s why I think that the problem was more a lack of motivation in high RLM ranks than a technical one.
One more Mosquito-Killer ignored!

Addendum 2000:
The problem of this plane was the high wing load; this one was designed for only one purpose; being fast!
This doesn´t allow much maneuvrability, good handling characteristics or other nice things, but the He219
had the same disadvantage, and the combat pilots desired her. Maybe the Ar240 wasn´t really an all-around
plane, but at least the best medium range recon plane of WW2.